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"Navroz means new day. Isn’t it so much better to have a new year on the first day of spring than in the middle of winter on January 1?” enquired Lord Karan Bilimoria in his short address at the Navroz event organized in the UK Speaker’s House, Palace of Westminster on March 21, 2023. "This is the first Navroz function that I have ever attended in my 17 years at the House of Lords so thank you for doing this. Thank you Mr Speaker,” Bilimoria commended Sir Lindsay Hoyle before expressing his pride in representing the Zoroastrian Parsis, the smallest minority community numbering "1,00,000 in the world of whom 4,000 are in the UK.”
The Zoroastrian community in the UK was heartened to receive Navroz greetings from their Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who wrote on March 21: "Navroz is one of the most important dates in the religious calendar, first celebrated in ancient Persia. I know that this is a very special time for Zoroastrians in this country and around the world as you look ahead to the New Year with optimism and hope for the future. I am sure you will mark the occasion accordingly, celebrating with family and friends.”
The message from 10, Downing Street further chose to use the occasion "to thank the Zoroastrian community for their contribution to the UK. From healthcare to the arts, your presence and efforts are greatly appreciated.” When sharing the Prime Minister’s message, Malcolm Deboo, president of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) wrote that the ZTFE has been celebrating Jamshedi Navroz in London since 117 years. Wishing "joy, peace and happiness to all,” Deboo’s message expressed gratitude to all "our patrons and donors in supporting the ZTFE and all our volunteers and staff team for their continued service.” He appreciated that religious freedom in the UK has helped the Zoroastrian community to prosper since the 19th century.
The High Commissioner of India Vikram Doraiswami and his wife Sangeeta were the chief guests at the Iranian Khordad Sal celebration at the Zartoshty Brothers Hall on March 26. "The Zoroastrian Centre in Harrow fulfilled its historical function of bringing together the Zoroastrian community, two Members of Parliament (MP), Harrow councilors including four former mayors, and interfaith representatives to celebrate together,” wrote ZTFE communications officer Dr Karishma Koka. The ZTFE Care in the Zoroastrian community made special arrangements for the elderly to attend the event. The evening commenced with a jashan by Ervads Zubin Bhedwar and Yazad Unwalla, followed by an anjuman maachi. "ZTFE extends heartfelt gratitude to Nahid and our late trustee Bahman Mobed for their endowment towards this event for over three decades,” acknowledged Koka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The chief guests were welcomed with garlands of red roses and chrysanthemums by ZTFE joint secretary Jesmin Sohrab, and co-chair of Eighth World Zoroastrian Youth Congress (8WZYC) Sheherazad Kapadia followed by the aachhu-meechhu and Iranian welcome by Zoroastrian ladies dressed in colorful traditional attire. The Navroz haft seen table was specially laid out by Paridokt Falahati, Mahnaz Khosraviani and Iranian volunteers. After escorting the guests through the foyer of the Zoroastrian Centre where historical photos are hung up, Deboo, in his welcome address referred to the history of ZTFE and the Zoroastrian Centre and interfaith attendance at Zoroastrian festivals from early days. Before introducing the chief guest, Koka recalled that it was a century since Sir Dadiba Meherwanji Dalal, Companion of the Indian Empire, was appointed the first High Commissioner for India to the UK in 1923.
Referring to the mythological sugar in milk story that is supposed to reflect the arrival of first boatload of Parsis to India, the High Commissioner commented that Zoroastrians would appear to be "extremely wise people led by thoughtful priests… They have added value in terms of everything, in particular cuisine. You cannot go to Bombay without visiting Britannia (restaurant) and you cannot go to Delhi without visiting the institution that is SodaBottleOpenerWala (restaurant). If you do, you are making a great culinary mistake for it is one of the finest experiences to see what a community that understands blending really means.” Alluding to the 1906 photo in the foyer of legendary freedom fighters Dadabhai Naoroji, Bhikaiji Cama and Mohandas Gandhi attending a celebration hosted by the community, the chief guest commented, "You can see how the Parsi community served India at that time by bringing together everybody… the value of a couple of spoons of sugar.” He then proceeded to elaborate on J. R. D. Tata as the father of aviation in India who had set up and developed the first flight service, the first postal flight service and Air India which is now in "safe hands, a Tata company.” ZTFE trustee Dorab Mistry gave credit to Doraiswami for introducing electronic visas soon after he took charge in September 2022. Even Gareth Thomas, MP for West Harrow, addressed the audience.
The 8WZYC Raffle conducted that day succeeded in raising £ 7,000 (Rs 7,16,724). A sumptuous three-course meal prepared by Zoe Foods included jeera chicken with salad, lamb biryani with dal and sevaiyan that was enjoyed by over 100 in attendance. The evening concluded with dancing to Iranian, Bollywood and western music by DJ Hooman. The price for the meal tickets that included prawn crackers, samosas and chicken bites as starters ranged from £ 25 (Rs 2,537) for members to £ 10 (Rs 1,020) for those aged between five to 10 years.
The March 21 Navroz celebration by the ZTFE was at Edwardian Banquets, St James’ Court — A Taj Hotel in Central London when the guests of honor included Bilimoria, his son Josh, as also the second secretary (political) of the High Commission of India Shashi Bhushan and his wife Saambhavi. The function in which 200 participated began with a jashan performed by Ervads Bhedwar and Unwalla. On behalf of ZTFE, the oldest Asian religious voluntary organization in the UK which is over 160 years old, Deboo expressed his gratitude to Sunak for the Navroz greetings. Karan Bilimoria highlighted the importance of Navroz in bringing peace and harmony and referred to the event at the Speaker’s House. The guests were offered "a delectable menu of Parsi and Iranian delicacies presented with elegance and color… in a delightful ambience,” reported Koka, giving credit to Mehrnavaz Avari who took over as general manager in 2021.
The early bird offer for the specially planned Navroz dinner ranged from £ 50 (Rs 5,093) for ZTFE members to £ 25 for member’s children under 10 years. The menu of Parsi and Iranian dishes had falooda as the welcome drink, followed by joojeh kabob, lamb kofto, feta and cottage cheese filo parcels, potato polpote with an Iranian dip, mast o khiar as the finger starters. The non-vegetarian buffet included jardaloo sali boti, masala machhi, chicken berry pulao, masala dal while the vegetarian buffet included baigan ka bharta, lasooni palak, vegetable pulao, masala dal. The assorted breads of tawa roti, plain paratha, methi paratha; accompaniments of saria, lagan nu achar and kachumbar; and dessert of sev, dahi, chocolate truffle brownie, vanilla ice cream were common for all.
For the Navroz children’s party this year, the Fun Club collaborated with the Care in the Zoroastrian Community and ZTFE Gymkhana teams to bring together the younger and older members of the community on March 12, the first day of Iranian muktads. By buddying up children under 12 years of age with the seniors, the Together Old and Young Zoroastrians (TOYZ) event created an "opportunity for our children and elderly to interact, learn from each other, enjoy each other’s company and build strong bonds,” noted a summary of the day’s events forwarded by Deboo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the introductory ‘getting to know you activity,’ prayers and a presentation on the haft seen table, there was a lemon and spoon race, bucket tombola and musical statues, storytelling activities and gifts from Amu NoRuz (or Uncle NoRuz) the legendary character who appears at the onset of spring), courtesy the Simin and Shahrokh Shahrokh NoRuz Children’s Fund. While children below 12 did not pay for the lunch, adults had to contribute  £ 11 (Rs 1,116) for a meal of chicken pulao with dal/raita.

"With love in the air and music and song/May it always be spring all year long!” was one of the popular Navroz greetings in circulation on WhatsApp this year. The accompanying caricature of buck-toothed Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara) singing with a microphone in hand, attired in his trademark vest, had the treble and base clef music notations in the background. On Mercury’s left upper arm was inscribed "Navroz Mubarak” and on the left part of his neck was planted a lipstick kiss.